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'It happened so quickly': Man says dad didn't show signs of coronavirus until days before death

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Updated: 11:30 AM CDT Apr 6, 2020

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STAFF MEMBERS ALONG WITH ONE DEATH. KETV NEWSWATCH 7'S SARAH FILI TALKS WITH THE MAN'S SON, ABOUT HOW QUICKLY THIS VIRUS TOOK HIS DAD'S LIFE. REPORTER: FAMILY TELLS ME WAS A KIND HEARTED PERSON. HIS WIFE AND SON SPOKE WITH ME TODAY, SAYING FARON DIDN'T SHOW ANY SYMPTOMS OF THE VIRUS UNTIL DAYS BEFORE HIS DEATH. ONE WEEK AGO, ANDREW FARON SAT DAD. WALTER FARON'S FACILITY, THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH CENTER, LIMITED VISITORS MARCH 10 BECAUSE OF COVID CONCERNS. A LITTLE TIRED, >> HE STARTED RUNNING A TEMPERATURE ON TUESDAY, THEY RAN A TEST ON WEDNESDAY, IT CAME BACK POSITIVE ON THURSDAY AND HE DIED ON FRIDAY MORNING. REPORTER: FARON SAYS IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, THEY HAD NO TIME TO PREPARE. >> MY DAD WAS DOING FINE TWO WEEKS AGO. HE WAS PLAYING BINGO, HE WAS GOING TO THE DINING ROOM AND EATING WITH HIS FRIENDS. REPORTER: ANDREW SAYS HIS DAD HAD DEMENTIA AND COLON CANCER, BUT IT WAS PROGRESSING SLOWLY. THE DOUGLAS COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT BELIEVES A STAFF MEMBER BROUGHT IT INTO THE FACILITY, NOT KNOWING THEY WERE SICK. >> IT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE FRONTLINES THAT NEED TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY, IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT RE IN LONGTERM CARE FACILTIES AS WELL. REPORTER: FARON IS HEARTBROKEN KNOWING THE VIRUS TOOK HIS DAD. NOW, HE HAS A WARNING, >> I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW HOW QUICKLY THIS MOVES. REPORTER: AND HOPES PEOPLE WILL STAY HOME, TO PROTECT OTHERS. >> THIS IS NOT ANYTHING TO JOKE ABOUT. IS A SERIOUS THING. REPORTER: ANDREW TELLS ME HIS DAD WAS AN AIR FORCE VETERAN, AND SAYS HE WAS A GREAT MAN. THEY'RE WAITING TO HOLD A FUNERAL UNTIL THEY'RE ABLE TO SAFELY GATHER

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'It happened so quickly': Man says dad didn't show signs of coronavirus until days before death

Last week, Andrew Faron sat down to video chat with his dad, Walter Faron, whose Nebraska living facility began limiting visitors March 10 because of COVID-19 concerns. Ten days later, the facility said it began requiring staff to wear masks and other personal protective equipment.Andrew Faron noticed his dad looked a little tired."He started running a temperature on Tuesday. They ran a test on Wednesday. It came back positive on Thursday and he died on Friday morning," Andrew Faron said. Andrew Faron said it happened so quickly they had no time to prepare."My dad was doing fine two weeks ago. He was playing bingo, he was going to the dining room and eating with his friends,” Andrew Faron said.Andrew Faron said Walter, 86, had dementia and colon cancer, but it was progressing slowly. The Douglas County Health Department said Walter Faron had "several comorbidities but it has been determined that his acute cause of death was due to the COVID-19 virus."Health officials believes a staff member brought it into the facility, not knowing they were sick."It’s not just the people that are on the front lines that need to take it seriously, it’s the people that are in long-term care facilities as well,” Andrew Faron said.Andrew Faron is heartbroken knowing the virus took his dad. Now, he has a warning.“I want people to know how quickly this moves,” Andrew Faron said.He hopes people will stay home to protect others.“This is not anything to joke about. It’s not a passing fad, this is a serious thing,” Andrew Faron said.Andrew Faron said his dad was an Air Force veteran, and that he was a great man.The family is waiting to hold a funeral until they're able to safely gather again.

OMAHA, Neb. —

Last week, Andrew Faron sat down to video chat with his dad, Walter Faron, whose Nebraska living facility began limiting visitors March 10 because of COVID-19 concerns. Ten days later, the facility said it began requiring staff to wear masks and other personal protective equipment.

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Andrew Faron noticed his dad looked a little tired.

"He started running a temperature on Tuesday. They ran a test on Wednesday. It came back positive on Thursday and he died on Friday morning," Andrew Faron said.

Andrew Faron said it happened so quickly they had no time to prepare.

"My dad was doing fine two weeks ago. He was playing bingo, he was going to the dining room and eating with his friends,” Andrew Faron said.

Andrew Faron said Walter, 86, had dementia and colon cancer, but it was progressing slowly.

The Douglas County Health Department said Walter Faron had "several comorbidities but it has been determined that his acute cause of death was due to the COVID-19 virus."

Health officials believes a staff member brought it into the facility, not knowing they were sick.

"It’s not just the people that are on the front lines that need to take it seriously, it’s the people that are in long-term care facilities as well,” Andrew Faron said.

Andrew Faron is heartbroken knowing the virus took his dad. Now, he has a warning.

“I want people to know how quickly this moves,” Andrew Faron said.

He hopes people will stay home to protect others.

“This is not anything to joke about. It’s not a passing fad, this is a serious thing,” Andrew Faron said.

Andrew Faron said his dad was an Air Force veteran, and that he was a great man.

The family is waiting to hold a funeral until they're able to safely gather again.